


hindsight

by curiositykilled



Series: pessimistic avengers [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Introspection, Minor Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Steve Rogers, Timeline What Timeline, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 06:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6944119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiositykilled/pseuds/curiositykilled
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What got Steve into the fray and pulled him out, and where that leaves Tony after the dust has settled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	hindsight

**Author's Note:**

> tbh I just really wanted to talk about everyone being so surprised that Steve would drop everything for Bucky when he literally only became "the first avenger" and saved so many people because he was avenging Bucky. Like, seriously, what do the MCU history books look like?? How did no one pick up on this???

                  “Look, this isn’t about the Accords,” Natasha says. “It’s about Bucky Barnes.”

                  Tony scoffs, pushes away from the table to stalk towards the window. He’s heard enough about ‘Barnes’ in the past few days to last him a life time. More. Sergeant Barnes, Howard would spout, was a hero in the truest sense of the word. Sure, he was no Captain America, but boy oh boy, was he something.

                  _Oh yeah, Dad._ Tony wants to reply now: _beat your star-spangled idol to shit, blew up a UN conference, and murdered dozens. Really something._

                  “Really?” he asks Natasha instead. “I hadn’t noticed, what with his face on every screen. You know, I almost thought this had to do with something else.”

                  He’s turned partially towards her, enough to see her unamused glare. He’s tingling on a knife’s edge of adrenaline and fear, too shaken from all his foundations creaking with the beginnings of cracks. The pen case still lies open, half-filled, on the table, but Steve is gone. Pepper is gone. The Avengers are going.

                  “Tony, do you know why we’re called the ‘Avengers’?” Natasha asks.

                  It’s apropos of nothing, which means there’s going to be some lesson coming. Tony rolls his head back on his neck with a deliberate sigh.

                  “Let me guess: you’re going to tell me,” he says.

                  “Captain America was in Europe months before he started fighting on the front line,” Natasha says.

                  Tony waits, because he’s heard this before. Steve Rogers was just a showgirl till he up and saved 400 men. Yada yada. Cool story, dad, now shut up.

                  “He only got in the fight when Barnes was captured by HYDRA,” Natasha continues.

                  She waits a beat before reiterating: “He became Captain America because he went on a one-man suicide run to avenge Barnes.”

                  She stares at Tony and he stares back, silent. There are about a thousand quips on the back of his tongue, but for once, he swallows them down. This isn’t the story in the history books. It isn’t the story in Howard’s memories. This is something else, and it sends a queasy feeling of fear curling through his stomach.

                  Natasha meets his gaze evenly, steadily. She knew what she was getting into, her look says. Did he?

                  “The only way you’ll get Barnes is over Steve’s dead body,” she says. “Is it really worth that to you?”

 

\---

                  A week later or maybe a year, Tony stands in front of the display case. He’s got a glass of bourbon in his hand and an answer on the back of his tongue. He swirls the bourbon absently, studying the scratches and grooves through the once-impeccable red, white, and blue.

                  There are claw marks there, deep groves from the Black Panther. Scorch marks, from a repulsor probably. Worn spots like old bullets. He can’t say where those came from. He saw them, before, subtle blemishes in the shine of the shield as it was hefted it over a shoulder or flung across the field. He never asked.

                  He takes a sip of the bourbon. They don’t know where Rogers or Barnes are. The Accords and ensuing debacle have left the UN fractious. Most the Avengers are in hiding or prison. The compound is locked up tight. He is alone in a monument of glass and metal.

                  “It wasn’t,” he says. “It wasn’t worth it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just a note: I love Tony. Iron Man is what brought me into the Marvel fold. That said, his actions/role in CACW sit really uneasily with me. I can't really parse out why, but this is part of me working on it.
> 
> //EDIT: This isn't a moral issue - I don't have a problem with the morals behind the two sides of the Accords argument. It has more to do with the plot construction/presentation and overarching narrative. For something more concise, read [this](http://curiosity-killed.tumblr.com/post/144837107795/cacw-thoughts-round-2).
> 
> Otherwise, feel free to discuss and debate here as long as it's civil. It's really cool and helpful to hear all your different thoughts and ideas. And if you want to come chat with me, I'm more likely to respond on tumblr but it's all fair game :) //
> 
> As always, feel free to come chat on [ tumblr ](http://www.curiosity-killed.tumblr.com)


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